“The Promise Of Grace And Mercy!”

“The Promise Of Grace And Mercy!”(Ez.11:14-20).
“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’
Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’
“Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’
‘They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
Today’s text is about the grace and mercy of a compassionate God. A God who reneges on his anger against his people who hurt him through disobedience.
The exile was the LORD’S doing. Now comes the promise of mercy and grace. In the promise, the LORD states that he did not completely abandon the people. For a little while, he was a sanctuary for them.
My friend, this story is also our story. Sin separates us from the LORD’S presence. He gets angry and punishes us one way or the other. Yet he decides our restoration not because we have changed but because his grace and love abounds. Christ is the fulfilment of God’s grace, mercy, and compassion – ingredients that flavour his immeasurable love.
We benefit this grace and mercy in the person of Christ. In Christ, we are illuminated so that we cease from idolatry. In Christ, we are given an undivided heart, and a new spirit is put in us. In Christ, the LORD replaces our heart of stone with a heart of flesh.
Those who are in Christ follow the decrees of the LORD. In Christ, we are God’s people, and he is our God.
In Christ, we become new creations with undivided hearts, new spirits, and hearts of flesh instead of hearts of stones that are hardened against the word of God. Are you in Christ?
Weekend prayer: Dear LORD, create in us clean and pure hearts and put the right spirit in us. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
07/06/2025.